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The Scorpion Clan
“I will be your villain, Hantei.” With six terrible words, the Kami Bayushi set his followers in the newly founded Scorpion Clan on a dark and dangerous path. Enemies loomed beyond Rokugan’s borders, but they also lurked within them. Bayushi swore to protect the Empire by any means necessary. Where the Code of Bushidō tied the Emperor’s Left and Right Hands—the courtiers of the Crane and the mighty legions of the Lion—the Emperor’s Underhand could still reach. To combat the liars, the thieves, and the traitors within the Great Clans, Bayushi’s followers would have to lie, steal, and cheat in turn. The weapons of the Scorpion became blackmail, poison, and sabotage. The Scorpion dirtied their hands so that others’ could remain pure. Yet, in spite of—and perhaps because of—the clan’s fearsome reputation, there is none more loyal than a Scorpion. In a clan of deceivers and manipulators, trust is a hard-earned treasure to be cherished and guarded. Betrayal is punished with swift retribution, the souls of the treacherous forever bound into the horrific limbo of the place known as Traitor’s Grove. Bayushi’s successors are known for their insidious skill at scheming, but also the potential benefits of partnering with them—for without offering the proper incentives to their allies some of the time, they could never maintain their position as the great schemers of the Empire. People expect members of the Scorpion to be equal parts alluring and treacherous—and loyal only to the Emperor.Legend of the Five Rings 5th Edition, page 47 The Scorpion Clan Families The Bayushi Family The motto of the Scorpion Clan’s primary lineage, “I can swim,” comes from a cautionary tale about their treacherous nature. Charming, ruthless, deceitful, and vicious, the Bayushi appear as the villains they claim to be. They are the sinister side of power, using the arts of blackmail, poison, and seduction to control the enemies of the Empire, all while dancing a fine line to avoid falling to true villainy themselves. For the Bayushi, the means are justified by the ends: a stable and prosperous Empire.Legend of the Five Rings 5th Edition, page 54 The Shosuro Family When the Shosuro family is known to outsiders, it is for their acting talent and theatrical skills. Little does the Empire realize how fully the Shosuro embrace their roles; many of the finest Scorpion spies are Shosuro living as other people among the clans. While they are master entertainers, they are often asked to turn their skills in acrobatics, acting, and other arts to darker and bloodier ends for their clan. The Soshi Family The Soshi are often overlooked, and that is how they prefer things to be. They are most effective when unseen, offering up prayers in silence for the Scorpion. The Soshi live for subtlety: the gentle nudge, the whispered word that sets everything into motion. Sometimes this comes at a price, however, for their preference for acting at the perfect moment often makes them exceedingly cautious and prone to excessive planning and information gathering. The Yogo Family The Yogo family is the most unfortunate family in the Empire: each scion of their line is cursed to betray the one they love the most. They try to ignore the curse by burying themselves in their work and devotion to duty above all. To try to lift this curse, they have relentlessly studied prayers of protection and especially wards, through which they have mastered many techniques to identify and fight evil magic. The Yogo are the most diligent and unappreciated servants of the Scorpion. The Scorpion Clan Schools The following is a list of the Crane Clan Schools released so far in the 5th edition of the Legend of 5 Rings RPG. * Bayushi Manipulator School Courtier * Soshuro Infiltrator School Courtier * Soshi Illusionist School Courtier, Shinobi * Yogo Wardmaster School Shugenja Category:The Great Clans